Cushion cells for fluid cushion vehicles



United States Patent lnventors App]. No.

Filed Patented Assignee CUSHION CELLS FOR FLUID CUSHION Primary Examiner-A. Harry Levy- Arrorneys-Edward O. Ansell and D. Gordon Angus ABSTRACT: According to the present disclosure, skirt means is provided and retractable means, mounted to the hull or VEHICLES body of a fluid cushlon vehicle, supports the skirt means. The 10 Clams 3 Drawmg Figs retractable means is adapted to move the skirt between a first US. Cl 180/ 121, position wherein the skirt forms a cushion cell outside of the 130/ 1 6, 18 displacement area of the vehicle and a second position Int. Cl 860v 1/16 h in th ki t i retracted. This arrangement permits selec- Field of Search 180/121, rive eration of the kirt to selectively increase the effective 123 lifting surface area ofthe vehicle.

48 56 70 58 4 55 CONTROLLER Z 50 62 r 58 L Z8 7 j P P 50 IO 60 was 3-3 in no. 1.

nylon.

Fluid pump 26 is supported by hull l4 and is connected in CUSHION CELLS FOR FLUID CUSHION VEHICLES This invention relates to fluid-cushion vehicles, and particularly to air cushion vehicles having extensible peripheral fluid of hull l4 and surface 16. The free end of each of straps 40 and 42 are attached to an outboard portion of the respective skirts 44 and 46. Selectively inflatable bladders or cushions the vehicle upon which the pressure reacts. For a given force requirement, the pressure within the cushion cells which is necessary to lift the vehicle may be decreased if the lifting surface area of the vehicle upon which the pressure reacts is increased. I-leretofore, the liftingsurface 'areaupon which the pressure reacted has been been fixedly determined by the area of the undercarriage of the vehicle and has not been subject to variation. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide cushion cells which may be disposed peripherally of the base of a vehicle to increase the effective area upon which the pressure reacts. 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide peripheral cushions for a fluid cushion vehicle which may be selectively retracted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for selectively increasing the effective lifting surface area of a fluid cushion vehicle to improve roll stability of the vehicle.

According tothe present invention, fluidcushion cells are disposed peripherally of the base of the fluid cushion vehicle for increasing the effective lifting surface area of the vehicle on-which the peripheral cells may react.

According to an optional and desirable feature of the present invention, means is provided for extending and retracting the peripheral cushion cells.

The above and other features of this invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of-a fluid cushion vehicle according to the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. -2 is a front view of the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the vehicle taken along plane In the drawings there is illustrated a vehicle 10 having a hull 7 l4 and propulsion means, such as propellers 12, supported thereon. Surface 16, which is the lowermost portion of the hull, defines the lifting surface area of the vehicle, and a plurality of cushioncells 18 are mounted to surface 16. Each.

cushion cell 18 includes a skirt 20 mounted to surface 16 and forming a fluid chamber 22. The lower portion of each chamber has an opening 24. If desired, a peripheral skirt may be supported by the vehicle around skirts 20. Skirts 20 are preferably flexible membranes constructed of suitable materials such as neoprene-coated dacron or neoprene-coated fluid communication with chambers 22 by means of conduits 28 and 30 and apertures or orifices32 and 34. Pump 26 is adapted to supply chambers 22 with pressurized fluid, such as Roller mechanism 36 and 38 are mounted to hull 14 of vehicle 10 at one side thereof. Straps 40 and 42 are supported on roller mechanisms 36 and 38, respectively, and are adapted to extend and retract with each revolution of the respective roller mechanism. Preferably, roller mechanisms 36 and 38 are spring-loaded or otherwise biased to retract the straps 40 and 42 about the circumference of each roller.

Fluid cushion skirts 44 and '46, whichrare preferably constructed of suitable flexible membranes such as neoprenecoated dacron or' neoprene-coated nylon, are mounted to the hull 14 of vehicle 10 at the lowermost portion of a peripheral 48., 50 and 52 are disposed in the region defined by the sides of the vehicle, straps 40 and 42, and the uppermost portion of peripheral skins 44 and 46, respectively. Although three inflatable bladders are illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood that any number of such bladders may be used, and that the number will depend uponthe particular engineering design.

Preferably, bladder 48 is fixedly attachedto the side of hull 14, bladder 50 is fixedly attached to bladder 48 and bladder 52 is fixedly attached to bladder 50. Bladders 48, 50 and 52 are designed so as to converge upon and be attached to hinge 54.

Bladder 48 is in fluid communication with solenoid-operable valve 58 by means of conduit 56, bladder 50 is in fluid communication with solenoidoperable valve 60 by means of flexible conduit 62, and bladder 52 is in fluid communication 2 by theperipheral skirts. Since the force for lifting the vehicle vehicle.

' edge thereof. By way of example, skirts 44 and 46 may be con nected to hinge members 54 at the junction of opposite sides with solenoid-operable valve 64 by means of flexible conduit 66. The opposite side of each valve 58, 60 and 64 is in fluid communication with the exit side of pump26 by means of conduit 68. Controller 70 is electrically connected to each of solenoid-operable valve 56, 60 and 64 to selectively operate the valves. By way of example, controller 70 may comprise a that any number of solenoid valves could be used for operating bladders 48, 50 and 52, and it may bedesirable to use a 1 single solenoid valve instead of three as illustrated in the drawings.

In operation, solenoid-operated valves 58, 60 and 64 may be selectively operated to inflate bladders 48, 50 and 52 with air under pressure from pump 26. lnflation of the bladders causes peripheral skirt 44 to assume the position illustrated at the left portion of FIG. 3 to thereby form peripheral cushion chamber 72. Pump 26 operates through conduits 28 and 30 to supply fluid under pressure, such as air, to chambers 22 beneath the hull of the vehicle. The air pressure within chamber 22 reacts against the ground 74 and the lower surface 16 of the base of the vehicle to force the base upwardly. Air escaping through the opening of the chamber 22 escapes into the region between the chambers and into chamber 72,

thereby inflating chamber 72. Pressure within chamber 72 reacts against the bladders which in turn-react against the hull to aid in the support of the vehicle.

The effective lifting surface area of the vehicle is increased is dependent upon the lifting surface area of the vehicle and the pressure within the chambers, the peripheral skirts forming peripheral chamber 72 increase the effective lifting surface area of the vehicle thereby permitting operation of the vehicle with lower pressures within the chambers than hereto fore achieved.

To retract a peripheral cushion cell or chamber, the pressure in the respective bladders is decreased to a lever level below that in the cell. The pressure in the cell forces the cell upwardly, and straps 40 or 42 aid in the retraction of the cell. It is understood that when the cushion cells are extended, the pressure in the bladders exceed'the pressure in the cushion cells so that as the pressure in the cushion cells react on the bladders, the pressure in the bladders reacts on the hull of the When the peripheral cushions are extended, the effective lifting area of the base is increased thereby increasing the roll stability of the vehicle. With the cushions retracted. aerodynamic drag at relatively high velocities is reduced. Hence, the selective extension and retraction of the peripheral aerodynamic drag.

The present invention thus provides effective apparatus for increasing the effective lifting surface area of a fluid cushion vehicle thereby permitting the lower pressures within the fluids chambers and greater roll stability than heretofore realized in prior vehicles. The peripheral skirts are retractable so that'the skirts may be retracted to reduce drag and to enable the vehicle to maneuver through relatively narrow passages. The apparatus according to the present invention is effective in operation and easily manufactured and used.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in the drawings, and described in the description, which is given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A fluid cushion vehicle comprising a substantially rigid hull having an undersurface defining a lifting surface area for said vehicle; first skirt means supported by said hull beneath said undersurface, said first skirt means defining a first cushion cell means adapted to be inflated with pressurized fluid to react against said undersurface to provide a lifting force on said vehicle; second skirt means; and retraction means mounted to said hull and supporting said second skirt means, said retraction means being adapted to move said second skirt means between an extended position wherein said second skirt means forms second cushion cell means adjacent said first cushion cell means and outside of said area and a retracted position wherein said second skirt means is retracted to a side of said hull, whereby when said second skirt means is in its first position, pressurized fluid in said second cushion cell means operates to lift said vehicle thereby increasing the effective lifting surface area of said vehicle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said retraction means includes inflatable bladder means supported by said hull,'and inflation means for selectively inflating and deflating said bladder means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said inflation means is adapted to supply said bladder means with fluid having a greater pressure than the pressure of fluid in said second cushion cell means and the pressure in said second cushion cell means reacts against said bladder means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein there is a plurality of bladder means and said inflation means comprises a plurality of solenoid-operable valves, said valves being connected to respective ones of said bladder means, and selection means for selectively operating said solenoid-operable valves.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein there is a plurality of bladder means and said inflation means comprises a plurality of solenoid-operable valves, said valves being connected to respective ones of said bladder means, and selection means for selectively operating said solenoid-operable valves.

6. In a fluid cushion vehicle having a substantially rigid hull having an undersurface defining a lifting surfacearea for said vehicle and first skirt means supported by said hullbeneath said undersurface, said first skirt means defining a first cushion cell means adapted to be inflate'c'i'with pressurized fluid to react against said undersurfaceto' provide a lifting force on said vehicle, the improvement-comprising: second skirt means; and retraction means mounted to said hull and supporting said second skirt means, said retraction means being adapted to move said second skirt means between a first position wherein said second skirt means forms second cushion cell means adjacent said first cushion cell means and outside of said area and a second position wherein said second skirt means is retracted to a side of said hull whereby when said second skirt means is in its first position, pressurized fluid in said second cushion cell means operates to lift said vehicle thereby increasing the effective lifting surface area of said vehicle.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6'wherein said retraction means includes inflatable bladder means supported by said hull, and inflation means for selectively: inflating and deflating said bladder means. I

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said inflation means is adapted to supply said bladder means with fluid havmg a greater pressure t an the pressure of fluid in said second cushion cell means and the pressure in said second cushion cell means reacts against said bladder means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein there is a plurality of bladder means and said inflation" means comprises a plurality of solenoid-operable valves, said valves being connected to respective ones of said bladder meansfand selection means for selectively operating said solenoid-operable valves.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein there is a plurality of bladder means and said inflation means comprises a plurality of solenoid-operable valves, said. valves being connected to respective ones of said bladder means, and selection means for selectively operating said solenoid-operable valves. 

